Douche-pan protector.



B. REYNOLDS. 00110111: PAH PROTECTOR. APPLICATION IIL ED APR. 18, 1908.

Patented Aug. 17,1909

, Raw

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIZABETH REYNOLDS, OF NORTH SALEM, NEW YORK.

DOUGHE-PAN PROTECTOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ELIZABETH REYNOLDS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the town of North Salem, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Douche-Pan Protectors, the principles of which are set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawing, which disclose the form of the invention which I now consider to be the best of the various forms in which the principles of the invention may be embodied.

This invention relates to improvements in douche-pan protectors, the object, which has been successfully attained in practice, being to provide a device which is extremely useful on account of the valuable features of which devices embodying the invention consist, as hereinafter described and claimed. The need of a device of this kind has been so obvious for many years that various attempts have been made to devise one which might possess the requisite functions and at the same time be of such simplicity as to be practicable. The best evidence that all such attempts have been unsuccessful is that no other device than the present is in use to any substantial extent, or manufactured so far as is known. Most of the prior attempts have been involved and complicated with special or peculiar constructions of the douche-pan itself, the protector being either incorporated as an integral part of the pan, designed with such construction and shape as to permit it to be used only in a fixed position in the pan, or else constructed with special parts adapted to fit the pan in such way as not to adequately execute the intended function of the protector, or to cause it to be diliicult to cleanse; the result in all cases being that the construction was either cumbrous, or inadequate as to the protection afforded, such as to prevent the general adoption of this class of device, the need of which is so manifest.

In accordance with this invention, no modification is made in the standard douche pan now in almost universal use, but the protector is so constructed as to be adapted for use with any and all such pans; and to be efficient in operation, and handy, cleanly, and convenient in use.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a standard douche-pan showing the novel protector in both of its two operative positions; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed April 16, 1908.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

Serial No. 427,372.

of the protector looking toward the right hand end of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, along the line 33 of Fig. 2, looking upward as indicated by the section arrows in Fig. 2; and Fig. et is a perspective view of the protector.

In Fig. l, X indicates the bottom of the standard rectangular douche-pan, having the usual seat-piece Y, and on the other end, the usual end-piece Z. In accordance with this invention, the protector is preferably not incorporated with the pan, but is adapted for successive use in two diflerent parts of the pan, as indicated in Fig. 1 in full line and dotted line respectively. The full line indication of the protector in Fig. 1 shows its position for temporary preliminary use and in readiness to be placed in the final operative dotted-line position, which final position insures the best possible protection, as the protector can be slid along the bottom of the pan as far to the left as the patients body permits, which is as far as is necessary for complete protection. The full line position, in addition to permitting the protector to be in readiness for a quick transfer to the final dotted line position, also provides, as above suggested, a sufficientprotection in case of sudden excretion; and at the same time, owing to its extreme po sition, inclined, at the end of the pan, and its secure, though temporary attachment to the end-piece Z of the pan, it does not interfere with the action of the attendant in administering the enema, but permits free access to the patient. As a result of the construction (hereinafter described in detail) which permits the bottom edge D of the protector at all times to extend directly to the bottom of the pan, all necessity is eliminated, for use in either dotted or full line position, of a joint between the pan and protector, and consequently of any flange or other protection for such joint. As a further result of said construction, no means auxiliary to part H and part M (either on the pan or on the protector) is required to hold the device to the pan in full line position, as the engagement of curved edge D with the bottom of the pan provides adequate support in all cases, as well when the protector is held by part H in the inclined full line position, as in the dotted line position. As a further result of said constructioi'i, no pocket or other special construction of the douche-pan is required to receive part H to hold the protector firmly in its dotted line position. As soon as the enema is administered, the protector can be quickly removed from its full-line position and slid into the dotted line position, where it afiords the best possible protection, which removal is permitted upon the withdrawal of the attendants hands and arms from in front of the protector in its fullline position.- Afterward, the protector is entirely removed from its dotted line position and from the pan, to permit the complete and ready cleansing of the pan and protector separately, such cleansing facility being one of the important advantages of the device.

in practice, particularly as neither the pan nor the protector has, in accordance with this invention, any complicated parts which would cause any difliculty in cleansing.

The structure of the protector is designedly extremely simple, (although it possesses all the detail structural features which insurecomplete protection), in order to avoid difficulties and complications in both manufacture and use; and the protector is entirely free of any parts adapted to cooperate with corresponding parts of the pan; except that the greatest width of the protector, as just above the bottom edge D (Fig. 2), is as near to the inside width of the standard pan as will permit the protector to be moved readily longitudinally of the pan, it being desirable to have a width as great as this in order to obtain maximum protection in a transverse direction, and except also that the handle H preferably adapted for use as a temporary securing means on the end Z of the pan. The absence of additional parts of the protector, of the nature of flanges, etc., adapted to cooperate with corresponding parts of the pan, and therefore the lack of the necessity of employing a pan of special construction; and the shortness of the depending part of handle H with respect to the bottom of the protector, whereby the latter can rest directly on the bottom of the inside of the pan, are important factors toward simplicity, adequate protection, convenience, and facility of cleansing.

As is shown, the protector may consist of two parts of sheet tin, enameled or otherwise, (a, a main part M and the top T, the latter being a feature of very great importance in serving to completely guard against the effects of splashing against the interior of the main part M. The main part M, while not necessarily or exactly frustoconical, is preferably substantially so (being substantially a vertical section of a hollow cone), in order to permit a small area of top T and a maximum width where width is needed. The upper part of the protector need not have great a width as the bottom, but if the frustum of the cone were left open there would be no protection against the re"- sults of splashing against the interior wall of the cone, just as if substantially a vertical section of a complete hollow member extend ing tothe top of the cone, were employed as the main part M. In order to perfectly attain the function of the top-piece T, it is preferably extended to have a forwardlyproje'cti'ng part or extension P. This projection also serves as a convenient handle for the protector when in use, as to lift it up from its full-line position, before placing the entire bottom edge D on the bottom of the pan,- preparatory to placing it in the dotted-line position. The top T may have a depending flange N soldered to the upper part of M (Fig. 2) and may be further rigidly secured to part M by a wire V about which the forward edge E of top T is turned, the wire V being turneddown along the edge V of part M,- as shown in Figs. 2 and i, and there soldered. The edges V of part M may be turned likewise, as shown, over a stiffening wire l (F ig'. 3), to impart rigidity to the structure, and present smooth corners to the legs of the patient. The depending part H, serving both as a handle and as a retaining-piece on the pan Z, may have its part H soldered to the main part M of the protector.

The shoulder H of part H is so located that the distance from its interior or point of at- 1 tachment, to the bottom edge D of the protector, will be such as to permit the edge D to engage the bottom of the douche-pan 2 when the upper edge of the end-piece Z 5 thereof engages inside the shoulder H The main part M is constructed, as shown, so I that when its bottom edge D rests on the bot- 1 tom of the pan, in either full line or dotted line position, the entire base of the parti Q frusto-cone lies within the pan and below the sides thereof, whereby complete protection is assured, independently of any joints between the protector and the pan. The angle between part H and the main part M may be such, as shown, that when H is in place over Z, the protector will be inclined. to the right, as shown in full-line in Fig. l, in order to increase the accessibility to the patient for the adl'nii iistration of the enema, after the protector has been placed in its full-line position. The construction is such that the lower edge D of the protector extends at least as far as the lower end of part H the latter not extending below said edge, so that when the protector is placed in the dotted line position there will be no projecting portion of part H to interfere with the protector being supported on its edge D directly on the bottom of the pan. This bottom edge D is curved, shown in Fig. 4, to follow the generally semi-circular outline of the base of the vertical-sectional cone, so that in the dotted-line position of the protector, it will be firmly supported in the pan. The curvature of the part M as a whole is such as not only to permit it to rest firmly alone on the bottom of the pan, but also to provide protection against side splashing; this curvature being entirely independent of the shape of the douche-pan. The part H is particularly useful as a handle when the protector is be ing cleaned. because it is itself protected from being soiled, not only by means of the pan-part Z when the protector is in. its fullline position, but by the main part M which protects the part H even when the entire protector is completely inside the pan, as in its dotted-line position. The corners C of the protector are preferably well rounded or curved. as shown, in order to insure against injury to the patient, in addition to the pro tection of this kind which is afforded by the overturned edge V.

Finally, it may fairly be said that the invention is most useful, particularly in that it combines the greatestof simplicity and a total lack of complicated parts, with a large number of most useful functional features. It is an important characteristic of the in vention that the device embodies all the requisite useful features without undesirable uisite useful features without undesirable details of structure. Although the disclosed embodiment of the invention is extremely simple, yet there are numerous peculiar features about it, each of which constitutes some in'iportant useful effect, and the combination of all these features into the resultant useful device is the result of thorough study and experimentation in respect of practical conditions.

I claim:

1. In a douche-pan protector, the combination with a main part consisting substan tially of a vertical sectional half of a hollow cone-frustum; of a top-piece constituting a cover for the frustum, said top-piece having a rear flange having a curvature corresponding to that of the main part, and downr wardly turned to engage with and be secured to the latter; retaining and stiffening wires along the edges of the protector, said edges being turned over the wires to retain the latter in place; and a part depending from the convex back of the main part, the main part extending downwardly at least as far as the lower end of the depending part, whereby said bottom edge can support the protector in the bottom of the pan.

2. In a douche-pan protector, the combination with a main part consisting substantially of a vertical sectional half of a hollow cone-frustum; of a top-piece constituting a cover for the frustum, said top-piece having a rear flange having a curvature corresponding with that of the main part, and downwardly turned to engage with and be secured to the latter; and retaining and stiffening wires extending along the bottom edge and vertical front edges of the main part and along the front edge of the toppiece, said edges being turned over said wires to retain them in place.

In a douche-pan protector. the combination with a main part consisting substantially of a vertical sectional half of a hollow cone-frustum: of a top-piece constituting a cover for the frustum, said top-piece having a rear flange having a curvature corresponding with that of the main part, and downwardly turned to engage with and be secured to the latter; and a part depending from the convex rear side of the main part, the bottom edge of the main part extending at least as far as the lower end of the depending part, and the distance between the bottom edge of the protecting part and the nearest point of attachment to it of the depending part, being such as to permit said bottom edge to engage the bottom of the douche-pan when the end-piece of the latter engages between the depending part and the back of the main part.

4. In a douche-pan protector, the combination with a main part consisting substantially of a vertical sectional half of a hollow cone-frustum; of a top-piece constituting a cover for the frustum; and a part depending from the rear convex side of the main part, the curved bottom edge of the main part extending at least as far as the lower end of the depending part, whereby said bottom edge can support the protector on the bottom of the douche-pan.

In a douche-pan protector, the combination with a curved protecting part, having a convex back, of a retaining piece attached dependently to the convex back of the protect-ing part, the angle between the depending retaining piece and the protecting part, and the distance between the bottom edge of the protecting part and the point of attachment of the retaining piece to the back of the protecting part being such as to cause the protecting part to assume a rearwardly inclined position with its bottom edge in engagement with the bottom of the douche pan, when the end of the latter engages between the retaining piece and the back of the protecting part.

6. In a douche-pan protector, the combination with a main protecting member having a curved bottom edge whereby the main portion can support itself in an upright position, said main portion having a correspondingly curved upper edge; of a separate top-piece having a rear-end curvature corresponding to that of the main member and having a downturned flange engaging the rear part of the latter, by which flange the rear parts of said two members are secured together; and a retaining and stiffening wire extending along the front edge of the top-piece and having its ends extending downwardly along the vertical. front edges of the main member; the front edge of the top-piece being turned over said wire.

7. In a douche-pan protector, the combination with a main protecting member having a curved bottom edge whereby the main portion can support itself in an upright position, said main portion having a correspondingly curved upper edge; of a separate toppieee having a rear-end curvature corresponding to that of the main member; and a retaining and stiffening wire extending along the front edge of the top-piece and having its ends extending downwardly along the vertical front edges of the main member, the front edge of the top-piece being turned over said wire.

8. In a douche-pan protector, the combination with a main portion having a curved bottom edge whereby the main portion can support itself in an upright position, said main portion having a correspondingly] curved upper edge; of a top-piece having a rear end; curvature corresponding with that of the main portion, and having a front extension projecting beyond the vertical front edges of the main portion.

9. In a douche-pan protector, the combination with a main protecting member having a curved bottom edge serving to support said memberin an upright position, said main portion having a correspondingly curved upper edge; of a separate top-piece having a rear end curvature corresponding with that of the main protecting member and having a down-turned flange engaging the latter, by which the two parts are secured. together.

ELIZABETH REYNOLDS.

lVitnesses M. ELIZABETH BARRETT, Eimus'r (Qt. Banner. 

